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Belfast Live

Sport

Paddy Tierney

Antrim hurlers will relish top-tier battles says Gerard Walsh as 2023 fixtures are confirmed

As the provisional fixtures for 2023 become clearer, Antrim hurlers know their schedule for next season will be a daunting one.

They’ve earned the right to compete in the Leinster round robin after winning the Joe McDonagh Cup for the second time in three seasons following their thrilling win over Kerry in Croke Park last June.

They’ll take on Dublin and Kilkenny at their Corrigan Park home and take on Wexford, Galway and Westmeath on the road in the Leinster series.

Back in 2021, Darren Gleeson’s men were well beaten by Dublin in their one and only game in a knock-out format due to Covid.

This time around, the Saffrons have the prospect of 10 games against the best teams in the country as they’ll also face Kilkenny and Dublin as well as Waterford and Tipperary in Division One of the Allianz Hurling League.

The Saffrons will welcome the Cats to Corrigan Park for round one at the end of January before ending the League with back-to-back home games against Laois and Tipperary.

Gleeson’s side will be away to Dublin and Waterford in rounds two and three respectively with the dates for those games expected to be finalised in the coming days.

Gerald Walsh in action against Kilkenny's Martin Keoghan in February's League meeting in Nowlan Park. Antirm will face the Cats in both the League and Championship in 2023 (©INPHO/Evan Treacy)

Gerard Walsh says Antrim are looking forward to what promises to be an exciting and challenging season next year.

“We’ll be looking forward to all the games to be honest. We’re happy to be back up in the Leinster Championship and, hopefully, we can go better than we did in 2021,” said Walsh.

“We’ll have absolutely no excuse this time and I think everyone is looking forward to putting their shoulder to the wheel and getting going with it. Hopefully, it will be a good year.

“At the end of the day, the League tables don’t lie and the scoreboard doesn’t lie.

“We’ll be doing the best we can to get up to those teams and we’ll enjoy the process in doing so.

“It will be a full year against the top flight and I think it is something everyone will look forward to and relish.”

Although he ended the season as a Joe McDonagh Cup winner and was one of seven Antrim players selected on the Team of the Year for that competition, Walsh feels there is always room for improvement. The Saffrons needed a play-off win against Offaly to preserve their Division One status earlier in the season.

“It is a nice way to finish the year,” Walsh said of his McDonagh All Star award.

“This year didn’t go completely as we wanted - I think we only won around 50 per cent of our games so that’s something we’d be looking to rectify next year.”

Following their Joe McDonagh Cup win over the Kingdom, Antrim showed plenty of skill and determination in their subsequent All-Ireland Qualifier loss to Cork in Corrigan Park.

That game marked the end of Darren Gleeson’s three-year tenure with Antrim and speculation about the Tipperary man’s future was ended when he was given a vote of confidence and a new two-year term back in August.

Antrim manager Darren Gleeson agreed a new two-year term in August (©INPHO/John McVitty)

Walsh said retaining the services of Gleeson is a huge plus for Antrim

“We all love working under Darren. He has brought an extra edge and dimension to it with the professionalism he brings,” added the Rossa clubman.

“He has been there before himself and has two All-Ireland medals and an All Star. He has been there, done it and worn the t-shirt and we are happy to be working with Darren.

“Everyone is happy that he is continuing. He has come in and gives us all his focus so we are delighted that he is around for another while.”